Paul McNeil Jr. just put the ACC on notice.
The NC State sophomore guard exploded onto the national radar this week with a pair of standout performances that earned him ACC Player of the Week honors for the first time in his young career. And let’s be clear-this wasn’t just a good week. This was a historic week.
McNeil averaged 33 points and 8 rebounds across wins over Texas Southern and Ole Miss, but it was his performance against Texas Southern that lit up the stat sheet and the record books. The Rockingham, North Carolina native dropped a jaw-dropping 47 points-yes, 47-while tying an ACC record with 11 made three-pointers.
He was nearly automatic, shooting 12-of-18 from the field, 11-of-17 from deep, and a perfect 12-of-12 from the free-throw line. He also added 10 rebounds, notching his first career double-double in the process.
To put that 47-point performance in context: it ties for the fifth-highest single-game scoring output in NC State history, matching a mark set by Wolfpack legend Sammy Ranzino back in 1951. It’s also the most points scored by any ACC player since Rodney Monroe poured in 48 for NC State against Georgia Tech in 1991. That’s elite company-and McNeil just punched his ticket into that conversation.
And about those 11 threes? That shattered NC State’s previous school record, which had stood untouched since 1989 when Monroe hit nine against UNC Asheville.
McNeil didn’t just break the record-he tied the conference record in the process. That’s not just a hot hand; that’s a flamethrower.
He followed up that historic night with a solid, team-leading 19-point effort in a 76-62 win over Ole Miss in Greensboro, helping the Wolfpack cap off a strong week with back-to-back victories.
This is the first time an NC State player has earned ACC Player of the Week honors this season, and it’s been a minute since anyone from the program took home the award-February 5, 2024, to be exact, when DJ Horne split the honor with UNC’s Harrison Ingram.
For McNeil, this isn’t just a breakout week-it’s a statement. He’s not just a promising sophomore anymore.
He’s a problem for opposing defenses, and he’s proving that he can take over games at an elite level. If this is what he’s capable of in December, the rest of the ACC better start game-planning now.